The Malabar Development Council (MDC) and the Malabar International Airport Committee (MIAC) are stepping up efforts to secure approval for a new airport at Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district.
MDC president and MIAC chief coordinator C.E. Chakkunny said the functionaries would meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when he visits the city on Saturday. “We had submitted a memorandum to him earlier in Thiruvananthapuram, appealing for a Cabinet approval and constitution of a committee under the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) to look into the proposal,” he added.
For the record, the State government had given its nod for the Sabarimala greenfield international airport near Erumeli in Kottayam district.
A new airport in Kozhikode is needed, as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have banned the operation of wide-bodied aircraft at the Calicut international airport, he said.
According to Mr. Chakkunny, land for the greenfield airport has been identified in 2,165 acres of estate at Thiruvambady. The facility will hugely benefit people from Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kannur districts. It will be of help for those residing in hilly regions too.
The proposal has been forwarded to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the AAI. “The airport will attract more domestic and international passengers, especially Haj pilgrims. It will also facilitate better cargo movement. Land for the project can be acquired without troubling anyone. Besides, it will provide a boost to tourism, health sector, trade and industry, and IT,” Mr. Chakkunny said.
He added that an expert panel had inspected the site at Thiruvambady in 2011. Several NRI organisations in the UAE have expressed keen interest in the project, he said.
